Manchester United go to Liverpool on Sunday and it is hard to recall a game which the Red Devils approached with less hope…
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“The easiest call of the weekend,” says Paul Merson, summing up the level of expectation of another United defeat. “I expect Liverpool to rip them to shreds.”
Is it really true, though, that United have no chance against their bitter rivals? We’re nothing if not contrary here at F365, so we’ve convinced ourselves that Erik ten Hag can mastermind a glorious triumph at Anfield. Here’s why…
Liverpool aren’t all that
For all the talk of United’s flaws, it should be remembered that Liverpool aren’t setting the world on fire right now. They may be top of the league, but only because no one else has got their sh*t together yet. United are sixth, for f***’s sake – that’s how seriously we should take the Premier League table right now.
They were ‘horrendous’ for 76 minutes at Crystal Palace last weekend and were struggling to break down their out-of-form hosts until Jordan Ayew gave the official the chance to send him off.
Liverpool were once again grateful to their substitutes, a theme which Jurgen Klopp has called ‘the story of the season’. Which, of course, ignores the fact that he must be picking the wrong XI to start.
The Reds are hardly watertight at the back, and their midfield still lacks balance. Up front, okay, they are pretty handy. But Darwin Nunez could just as likely as not have one of his days, and Mo Salah must be bored of scoring against Manchester United by now.
Liverpool have powered to the top of the table on the back of a string of come-from-behind wins. Eighteen of their 37 points have been earned from losing positions. Is that sustainable? No. Liverpool have very obviously exhausted all their reserves of good fortune at just the perfect time for United.
Liverpool will play into United’s hands
One of the biggest criticisms of Ten Hag is that United have no identifiable style. Which is horse sh*t. They play the same way they have for the last decade: Defend, wait to be given the ball – why expend needless energy trying to chase it themselves? – then use those power reserves to run very fast in straight lines, sometimes in the general direction of the opposition goal.
We know they struggle to create when the onus is on them to attack. Not a problem at Anfield where it will be back-foot all the way to victory.
Liverpool can play all the pretty passes and penetrate all they like in their foolish quest for superiority. The more passes they attempt, the higher the likelihood of turnovers. That’s just maths. They don’t realise it yet such is United’s cunning, but Liverpool will actually be under greater threat when they have the ball so the visitors’ inevitable, genius concession of at least 80% possession is not only to be expected…it should be lauded.
United have learned to thrive amid hostility
Until a few weeks ago, the thought of performing in mildly inhospitable surroundings was enough for United’s balls to shrivel back up into their gutless bellies. But already in the last three weeks they have silenced one lot of furious Scousers.
When they went to Everton at the end of last month, United were expected to wither and die amid anger and recrimination from four sides of Goodison Park. The Red Devils were not the target of Evertonians’ ire, the Premier League suits were very much the villains in that particular piece. But most still thought United would be found sucking their thumbs while Sean Dyche’s warriors, seething with injustice, ran all over them.
Instead, United put Everton back in their box, dousing the fire and fury to little more than smouldering resentment in next to no time. More than an isolated win, it was the perfect practice run for when they pop over Stanley Park on Sunday.
Key to this particular plan: a Puskas contender inside the opening five minutes. Take your seats early for Antony’s inevitable halfway-line Rabona.
United are finally Fernandes-free
You might think that United being shorn of one of the Premier League’s most creative players – their only reliable creative force – would be a problem. Not so. Actually, being without Bruno Fernandes for the first time this season is just another reason for Ten Hag to merrily skip down the M62.
If you listen to most pundits and many punters, Fernandes’ own brand of leadership is actually a liability. As history tells us, United’s great captains were always notoriously patient and sympathetic amid slipping standards. On Sunday, United’s other players, until now frozen in fear of their merciless leader, can finally flourish, free from Bruno’s b*tching and moaning.
Of course, Ten Hag can’t move for leaders in his dressing room. And, unencumbered by the worst captain since, well, the last one, perhaps Antony will feel empowered to use his right foot and dribble somewhere other than up his own arse. Maybe Rasmus Hojlund will be brave enough to remove his cloak of invisibility. Marcus Rashford, assuming he’s available, might even offer the impression that he would not, in fact, rather be literally anywhere else.
Inconsistency is key
United are nothing if not inconsistent. Which by definition makes it inevitable that after two miserable, life-sapping displays in the last week, a performance for the ages is incoming.
This, after all, is a free hit for United. Expectations are so low it would be almost impossible to fail to out-perform them.
Part of the reason for that is last season’s 0-7. But that scoreline deserves far greater context. Just as it was against Bayern Munich on Tuesday, Ten Hag’s game plan was clearly to stay in the game for as long as possible, at least until half-time. At that point back in March, they trailed only 1-0 and United were matching their hosts. Ten Hag doesn’t get nearly enough credit for half a job very well done.
Obviously, the mistake the manager made there was loaning Hannibal Mejbri to Birmingham. The season before, when United were being humped by Liverpool, Hannibal was sent from the bench to go full Stormin’ Norman Whiteside and kick anything in red for six minutes. The scoreline may tell you that Liverpool won 4-0 but United struck an important psychological blow that day.
Read next: Liverpool v Manchester United: The worst combined XI of the last decade
